A guide to working with others (Part Four)

In the last three post’s I have covered some tricks, I have learned and researched in order to work effectively with D, I and S bosses and colleagues.

If you have missed the posts, in short D I S C profiles are divided into four broad categories of personality traits. These categories are labelled for the primary characteristic that individuals commonly express on a regular basis: D (Dominance), I (Influence), S (Steadiness), or C (Conscientiousness). It’s important to remember that while one trait may seemingly take the lead over others, each person has a mixture of all four trait types.

Learning more about the profile and style of your boss helps to know how they work and how you can best help them. Below are some tips on how a C boss works, thinks and what you can do to work around them.

How a “C” person works and thinks?

“C” people are known for focusing on facts, their careful deliberations, being cautious and the value that they place on being accurate. While they are known for challenging and verifying the facts that others merely assume are correct, they also feel the need to maintain order and structure.

They are motivated by the opportunity to learn new things, expand their knowledge base, and show off their expertise to others. Their greatest fear is to be wrong about anything. Sometimes they can come across as perfectionists and be perceived as overbearing and hypercritical. Because they fear being found wrong, these types of bosses often have trouble delegating even simple tasks to others.

What makes “C” people tick

While people with a “C” personality can really excel in departments where accuracy and correctness are necessary, their tendency to isolate themselves and over analyse problems can make it difficult to develop bonds with others.

What you can do to make your job easier

When you work with a “C” person, it’s important to produce results that are correct, and that can be verified. Since they value accuracy, you should know that you are unlikely to please a “C” boss if you hurry through your work and produce inconsistent, slipshod and inaccurate results. To get along with this type of person, it’s important that you consistently give your best effort and that you double and triple check your work. If you make a mistake, they will let you know!

You may well feel frustrated and believe that your “C” boss is constantly going behind your back to check up on your work because they do not trust you. You should not, however, take such actions personally as it is likely their meticulous attention to detail that is at work.

How to approach difficult conversations

“C” bosses value the facts, logic and reason, so emotional appeals are unlikely to sway them.

Focus on presenting information in an organised, sequential, systematic way to get your points across.

Focus on the facts.

While “C” bosses have an analytical mind that prefers information over emotion, they dislike being criticised. Always remain diplomatic, calm and patient yet persistent when speaking with them, especially if they must come to a compromise to benefit the department.

Working with a “C” boss can present opportunities to improve your push towards excellence and help you to learn new creative approaches to problem-solving. Unique accomplishments and novel invention in processes are often created under the direction of C bosses.

How to win a “C” person over

There are some tricks that can help you get your “C” boss to see your side of things.

Focus on producing results of a consistent quality, with attention to the details. This is a particularly helpful strategy if you want your “C” boss to trust you enough to give you greater challenges and autonomy in doing your job duties.

When presenting a concept, plan or choice to your “C” boss, do not use grand, sweeping generalisations and lofty or sentimental words. Instead, focus on the facts and practical reasons why your plan or strategy is the best one, and specifically go into detail about how your way is an improvement over the old, established way of doing things.

Should your “C” boss remain unconvinced, never let your discussions take a personal turn. Not only will you not change their mind, they may well take this as a personal attack and hold a grudge.

The D I S C personality assessment can give your valuable information about how to interact with others in the workplace and in life.

Want to know where you sit to understand yourself more?

Take the test here to learn more about your specific personality traits and the traits of those around you, as well as steps that you can take to increase mutual respect and understanding and create a more mutually beneficial working environment.

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